Knowing Your Characters Post 3: DISC Personality Test (Submission)

This is the third post in a 4-part series concerning knowing your characters, and using a personality test to do so (in this case, the DISC personality test).

First post, we covered the "D" in DISC, which is titled Dominance or Drive. (Relating to a person's control, assertiveness and power.)

Our second post covered the "I" in DISC, which is called Inducement or Influence. (Relating to a person's behavior in social situations and manners of communication.)

This post will cover the "S" in DISC, which is called Submission or Steadiness. (Relating to a person's patience, persistence and thoughtfulness.)

The final post will cover the "C" in DISC, which is called Compliance or Conscientiousness. (Relating to a person's structure and organization.)

A high "Submission" character breaks down as follows:

Motivated by: Relationships and Appreciations 

Best Environment: Requires specialization, Opportunity to work with a group, Consistent and predictable

Accepts: friendship

Rejects: conflict

Major Strengths: Supportive, Agreeable, Loyal

Major Weaknesses: Conforming, Retiring, Missed Opportunities

Under tension behaves: Acquiesce

Would Benefit from: Initiating

Rachel Green (played by Jennifer Aniston) in Friends,
could be considered a submissive character.

Their ideal world is where they: have peace, can do things the same way, and watch things.

Greatest fear: losing relationships and stability.

Classic DISC patterns:
Specialist: high "Submission," low or zero in other columns
Achiever: highest in "Submission," second highest in "Dominance"
Agent: highest in "Submission," second highest in "Inducement"
Perfectionist: equal in "Submission" and "Compliance"
Investigator: highest in "Inducement," second highest equal in "Compliance" and "Dominance"

High "Submission" characters tend to listen well. In order to communicate, they need people who will talk.

High "Submission" characters tend to be reluctant and relational in their decision-making. They need someone with patience who will warn them about their decisions.

High "Submission" characters tend to emphasize the present. They tend to linger in the present, and need someone who is unhurried.

High "Submission" characters tend to be emotionally warm. They need other warm people.

High "Submission" characters tend to build relationships. They like to have more time with fewer people.

In order to convince these characters of something, they need someone to ask them why they think the way they do.

In order to disagree with these characters, the two must disagree together. The Submission personality needs to know that they are on the same page with the other person.

Next time: Compliance/Conscientiousness